-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- No , not all men channel frustration over romantic rejection into a killing spree . But yes , all women experience harassment , discrimination or worse at some point in their lives .

That 's the message at the core of an ongoing Twitter conversation that emerged after a rampage last week that left six students from the University of California , Santa Barbara , dead and wounded 13 others .

Elliot Rodger , who apparently shot and killed himself , left behind a robust digital footprint detailing his plan to `` destroy everything I can not have , '' blaming the `` cruelness of women '' for leading to his `` day of retribution . ''

His comments inspired Twitter users to tweet the hashtag #YesAllWomen : They shared examples of what `` women must fear '' even if `` not all men '' engage in those behaviors , according to the person believed to have created the hashtag Saturday . The person did not respond to CNN 's request for comment .

The hashtag -- a response to the `` not all men '' defense sometimes used to deflect feminist arguments -- spread quickly on Twitter , zeroing in on the subtle and explicit signals that a woman 's worth is based on her availability to men .

By Tuesday morning , #YesAllWomen had been tweeted more than 1 million times .

Expanding the conversation

#YesAllWomen is the latest Twitter hashtag to draw attention to violence against women in a global conversation that has spread from social media to college campuses and into the White House .

While most feminist-driven Twitter campaigns preach to the choir , #YesAllWomen has succeeded in drawing the mainstream -- including men -- into the conversation , feminist writer and political analyst Zerlina Maxwell said . More unique is the conversation 's focus on misogyny and its negative impact on women and men , Maxwell said , pointing to tweets from men as evidence .

There was backlash to the hashtag 's sentiment , too . Some challenged the idea that misogyny was behind Rodger 's killing spree , while others argued against the broader idea that most women face gender-based harassment .

But those tweeting #YesAllWomen interpreted backlash as evidence to prove their points .

#YesAllWomen 's forebears include #everydaysexism , which evolved from the website Everyday Sexism . In 2011 , the site launched as a place for people to share stories of gender-based harassment . Today , #everdaysexism exists as a continuous feed of examples of street harassment , and as an occasional rallying cry around petitions . It has been tweeted more than 520,000 times in the past year , according to social Web search engine Topsy .

Earlier this year , Maxwell started #rapecultureiswhen in response to a Time.com op-ed calling for an end to `` rape culture hysteria . '' The hashtag highlighted examples of victim blaming and was tweeted more than 67,000 times .

With more than 1.2 million tweets so far , #YesAllWomen has far outpaced both hashtags , according to Topsy . It has drawn comments from celebrities such as Kerry Washington , Neil Gaiman and Patton Oswalt .

Celebrity boost aside , #YesAllWomen 's universal appeal springs from `` bottom-up '' personal stories instead of a single omniscient voice in an op-ed , Maxwell said .

`` It 's not somebody on high saying this is a problem in society and everyone should fix it , '' she said . `` It 's people talking about real experiences , and each experience is validated by the next . ''

More than Internet slacktivism

Even though #YesAllWomen grew as a counterpoint to the `` not all men '' argument , it 's effective because it stands on its own , feminist media critic Rachel Sklar said .

In fact , Rodger 's killing spree shows that men can also be victims of hostility toward women : Four men were among those killed , including his two roommates , `` the biggest nerds I had ever seen , '' Rodger said .

Rodger left behind a 137-page `` manifesto '' in which he wrote , `` I 've wanted love , affection , adoration . You think I 'm unworthy of it . That 's a crime that can never be forgiven . ''

`` I do n't know what you do n't see in me . I 'm the perfect guy and yet you throw yourselves at these obnoxious men instead of me , the supreme gentleman , '' Rodger said in a YouTube video posted the day of the killings .

Sklar said his words echoed sentiments voiced by men 's rights activists in online forums and social media platforms , especially Twitter . Those murmurs rarely turn deadly , she said , but Rodger 's actions represent every woman 's worst fears .

`` It 's been a collective trigger for women . It 's an extreme case of something we see and experience regularly as part of our lives , but it 's shocking and jarring and scary to see it taken to these lengths , '' said Sklar , who founded the women 's network TheLi.st .

Despite its grim origins , #YesAllWomen advanced conversation around issues that dominate feminist circles , feminist writer Soraya Chemaly said . The hashtag sparked more discussion about rape in India and Africa , and college campus sex assault in the United States .

The hashtag also forced discussion of the intersection of mental illness and misogyny in violence against women , especially in mass shootings , which are overwhelmingly perpetrated by white men .

`` I do n't know how anyone can look at this information and not see how densely matrixed all these factors and events are , '' Chemaly said . `` We keep seeing this pattern repeated and people seem to think misogyny or mental illness are exclusive or need to be prioritized . ''

While there 's no tangible outcome to the hashtag 's spread , those involved said it 's far from the typical slacktivism . It created a virtual space for women to share their stories , Chemaly said .

`` While there 's a lot of harm that can happen online , the Internet -LRB- has been -RRB- so fundamentally transformative for women and feminists , '' she said .

`` Women who were isolated in their experiences by culture and their families for the first time can exceed those boundaries . ''

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Elliot Rodger 's misogynistic rants inspired #YesAllWomen Twitter conversation

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#YesAllWomen has been trending since Saturday after killing spree in California

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People tweet #YesAllWomen to share examples of gender-based harassment

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Participants : Campaign drew in outsiders instead of preaching to feminist choir